Fluid-compressor.



1f -7 7J PATENTED DEG. 22,1903.

R RITES.

FLUID COMPRESSOR. APPLICATION FILED S EPT.'19. 1902. RENEWED 00w. 1,1902.

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PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903.

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FRANCIS M. RITES, O F ITHAOA, NEW YORK.

FLUID-COMPRESSOR.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747 ,7 73, datedDecember 19039 Application filed September 19, 1902. Renewed OctoberL1903. Serial No. 175,322. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- 7 Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. RITES,acitizen of the United States, residing atIt-haca, in the county ofTompkins and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fluid-Oompressors; and Ido hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to improvements in fluid-compressors such as areemployed for compressing air and other gases; and while the motive powerfor operating the compressor may be derivedin any suitable way or by anysuitable means I more especially intend it to be derived from afluid-pressure motor, such as a steam or as e ngj nc, mechanicallycombined with and forminga part of the compressor.

In the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawings the compressor is shown as combined with an-engineof the explosive or internalcombustion type, a single engine-cylinderserving both for driving the compressor and for com pressing the air orother gases therein.

My invention consists in the novel manner of regulating the action ofthe compressor and of controlling the output thereof, in the novelvalve-gear of the compressor, and in various other features,ashereinafter set forth in the claims.

The objects of my invention are toimprove and simplify the constructionof fluid-compressors, and more especially of compressors OQQIELLQQbyjnternal-combustig eng es, to i m prove T h eTeg'UlatiTTg ZiFVices employed for controlling the output of such compressors, and to preventmaterial fluctuationsofspeed thereof.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which one embodiment of my invention isillustrated, and will then set forth the novel features in claims. 7 r

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows an elevation of the'admissiomvalve-gearside of a combined compressor and gas-engine. Fig.

2 shows a central vertical section of the same.

The engine shown in the drawings has asingle cylinder 1 and a singletrunk-piston 2, the

front portion of this piston being of smaller diameter than the rearportion thereof and working within a guide-cylinder 3. The portion 4 ofcylinder 1 in rear of the piston cor-' responds to the combustion-chamher of an ordinary gas-engine, and the annular space 5 in front of thelarger portion of the piston forms the compression chamber or cylinderof the engine.

The engine is provided with the usual puppet admission-valve 6,controlling the ad mission of the explosive charge to theenginecylinder, and, as hereinafter described,- the valve-gear by whichthis ad mission-valve is operated is arranged to vary the point ofcutoff of said valve in accordance with the work required of the engine,such valve-gearboing operated by an automatic speed-governor. Theexhaust-valve gear of the engine is not shown, but may be of anysuitable and ordinary type, and the engine may be either a two-cycle ora four-cycle engine,(as such terms are customarily used in speaking ofinternal-combustion engines,) as preferred.

The admission-valve 7 to the compressionspace is here shown as a valveof the rotary Lvalveof any particular type. The dischargeport 10' of theengine may be connected to any suitable receiver of fluid underpressure.

The piston 2 is connected by the customary connecting-rod 11 and crank12 to a'crankshaft 13, carrying the usual fly-wheel 14, upon which ismounted a combined centrifugal and inertia governor 15, which may be andis shown as of the type covered by my Patents No. 534,579, datedFebruary 19, 1895, and No. 646,314, dated March 27, 1900, said governorbeing arranged to operate a shifting eccentric 16. This eccentric may beconnected by an eccentric-rod 17 to a ro'cker-arm-18, itself connectedby a rod 19, forming substantiallya continuation of the eccentric-rod,to a rocker-arm 20, connected to the air-admission valve 7. A link 21connects rockerarm 20 with another arm 22, itself connected by a link 23to one arm of a bell-crank 24,

the other arm of which is connected to a collar 25, arranged to move upand down upon the stem 26 of the gas-admission valve 6. Two springs 27and 28 surround this stem. Spring 27 works between collar 25 and a head29 on the valve-stem and serves as the means for closing the valve whencollar 25 moves downward. Spring 28 works between collar 25 and a fixedportion of the engine-cylinder and is used principally to prod uce abalanced spring reaction on the valve-gear and centrifugal governor.

The lower end of rocker-arm 22 is pivoted to and supported by thepiston-rod 30 of a pressure-cylinder 31, in the front end of the piston32 of which there may be a spring 33. The portion of this cylinder 31 inrear of the piston is connected by a pipe 34 with the discharge-port 10of the engine.

In the pipe 34: there is interposed a reservoir36,adapted to contain oilor other suitable liquid. The connection of pipe 34 with cylinder 31 maybe by a very fine port 37.

The eccentric-rod 17 is, in fact, one arm of a bell-crank, the otherarm, 38, of which is connected by a link 39 to an arm 40, operatingelectrical igniting devices. (Not shown.) The effect of variation in thethrow of the eccentric 16 is to vary the lead of these igniting devices,and thereby to vary the point of ignition in accordance with variationin the point of cut-off, as set forth in my applications for LettersPatent for improvements in valve-gear and igniting mechanism forexplosive and internal-combustion engines filed January 14, 1902, SerialNo. 89,645, and filed March 1, 1902, Serial No. 86,201.

The operation of the compressor is as follows: Admission of theexplosive charge to the combustion-space 4 of cylinder 1, thecompression of such charge, the ignition thereof, and after ignition theexpansion of the gases and their exhaust are conducted substantially inthe same mannerasin an or dinary gas-engine and require no specialdescription here. At the beginning of each backward stroke of the piston2 the admission-valve 7 of the compression-space 5 is opened, and air orother gas to be compressed is drawn into said space. Valve 7 may beclosed at the end of such admission-stroke or at an earlier period, asdetermined by the governor, all as hereinafter described. If valve 7 isclosed before the end of the admissionstrokeisreached,theairwithinthespace5is expanded slightly below atmospheric pressure; but no poweris lost in so doing, since on the next forward stroke the air in suchspace returns to atmospheric pressure as the piston advances and is thencompressed to ahigher pressure. When the air has been compressed to thepressure to which valve 8 has been set, the latter opens and permits thecompressed air to be discharged through port 10 to any suitable receiverwhich may be connected to said port.

Regulation of the operation of the compressor takes place as follows:When operating at full power, the admission-valve 7 is not closed untilabout the end of the suctionstroke of the piston, and the gas-admissionvalve 6 cuts off at the point best adapted to give maximum power. Spring33 is under such initial pressure that the piston 32 does not movewithin cylinder'3l until a receiverpressure has been reachedapproximating that which it is desired to maintain. As thereceiver-pressure rises above that corresponding to the initial pressureof the spring piston 32 moves slightly to the left, thereby advancingthe pivotal point of rockenarm 22; but since receiver-pressure istransmitted to cylinder 31 through the liquid in chamber 30, whichcommunicates with cylinder 31 through the very small port 37, suchmotion of piston 32 is sufficiently slow to prevent overthrow of theparts. For the same reason there is no perceptible motion of the pistondue to reaction of the valve-gear.

The connections from the eccentric to bell-crank 24 are such thatpressure upon the spring 27 is relieved at or about the beginning of theforward stroke of the piston 2, thus permitting valve 6 to open bysuction. Closure of this valve and cut off of the ex plosive charge takeplace when the bell-crank again presses against spring 27, and this isdetermined by the position of the eccentric 16, being relatively late inthe stroke when the throw of said eccentric is large and be ing early inthe stroke when the throw of said eccentric is small.

Now the efiect of a slight forward movement of piston 32 is to changeslightly the angularity of bell-crank 24, so as to make the pointofcut-off by valve 6 relatively later than it was before. The effect oflater cutoff is to cause the speed of the engine to increasetemporarily, whereupon the centrifugal governor will respond to thisslight increase in speed by moving the eccentric 16 to a position forshorter cut-off, thereby causing valve 6 to cut off at the same point asbefore or at an earlier point,and at the same time causing the valve 7to cut off earlier. Adjustment will take place in this manner until theoutput of the compressor is just that required to maintain the-desiredpressure. Conversely, if the pressure in the receiver falls below thatwhich the compressor is to maintain the spring 33 will move piston 32backward slightly, thus causing cut-off by valve 6 to occur earlier thanbefore. The speed of the engine will then fall slightly, and thegovernor by readjustingthe position of the eccentric so as to maintainnormal speed will make the cut-off of both valve 6 and valve 7later. Itwill be seen, therefore, that the regulation of the amount of airadmitted to the compression-space is eitected by so varying anadjustable connection between the admission-valves of the compressionand working sides of the engine as to cause the governor to adjust thepoint of cut-off by both admission-valves as may be ITO required tomaintain substantially constant speed and the desired pressure.

Since the speed of the engine remains nearly constant whether the amountof air compressed and discharged is small or large, the compressor willrespond very quickly to sudden variations in the demand upon it, for inmaking new adjustments of the parts the engine does not have to overcomethe inertia of the heavy fly-wheel, as would be the case were the outputof the compressor varied by varying the speed.

It is obvious that my invention is susceptible to various modifications,that various forms of governor may be used and various valve-gear, andthat various motors. other than gas or oil motors may be used as asource of power. I therefore do not. limit myself to the form ofcompressor shown in the drawings and above described.

What I claim is- 1. In a compressor, the combination with acompression-chamber,means for compressing fluid therein, and a motortherefor, of a valve controlling the output of said compressor, meanscontrolling the power of the motor, a governor controlling both saidvalve and said motor-controlling means, and means, other than saidgovernor, for varying the adjustment of the motor-controlling means withrespect to the governor with variation in load on the compressor.

2. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber,means forcompressing fluid therein, and a fluid pressure motor therefor, of avalve controlling t-he'output of said compressor, means controlling thepower of the motor, a governor cont-rolling both said valve and saidmotor-controlling means, and means, other than said governor, forvarying the adjustment of the motor controlling means with respect tothe governor with variation in load on the compressor.

3. In a compressor, the combination with a com pression-cham ber, meansfor compressing fluid therein, and a fluid pressure motor therefor, of avalve controlling said motor, means for operating the same, a valvecontrolling the output of saidv compressor, a governor controlling bothsaid valves, and means other than said governor, for varying theadjustment of said valve-operating means with respect to the governorwith variation in load on the compressor.

4. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber, meansfor compressing fluid therein, and driving means therefor, of aregulating-valve controlling the output of said compressor, a valvecontrolling the action of the motor, valve-gear for operating saidvalves and a governor controlling both valves therethrough, said valvegear comprising an operating member for said motorvalve and means forvarying the adjustment of said operating device with respect to thegovernor, with variation in load on the compressor.

5. In a compressor, the combination with a said compressor, a valvecontrolling the action-of the motor, valve-gear for operating saidvalves comprising adjust-able means for varying the relative action ofsaid valves, and

a governor.

6, In acom pressor, the combination with a com pression-chamber, meansforcompressing. fluid therein, and driving-means therefor, of

a valve controlling the output of the comeach valve is open, saidvalve-gear comprising adjustable means for varying the relative durationof the periods during which said valves are open.

7, In acompressor, the combination with a com pression-cham ber, meansfor compressing fluid therein, and driving means therefor, of

a valve'cont-rolling the output of the compressor, a valve controllingthe action of the driving means, valve-gear for operating said valves,and a governor controlling the same and arranged to vary the periodduring which each valve is open, said valve-gear comprising adjustablemeans for varying the relative .duration of the periods during whichsaid driving means, valve-gearfor operating said valves, and a governorcontrolling the same and arranged to vary the period during which eachvalve is open, said valve-gear comprising adjustable means for varyingthe relative duration of the periods during which said valves areopen,and automatic fluid-pressureoperated means for making suchadjustment.

9. In a compressor, the combination with a.

com pression-chamber, means for compressing .fluid therein, and a motorfor operating the same, of avalve for said compression-chamber, a valvefor said motor, a variable cut-01f governor and valve-gear operatedthereby for operating both said valves, comprising adjustablemeansconnecting said valves, and. automatic means for varying the connectionbetween the valves to make the cut-0E of the motor-valve earlier orlater with respect to that of the compression-chamber valve, ac-.

cording as the load ,on the compressor decreases or increases,respectively.

10. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber, meansfor compress;

ing fluid therein, and a motor for operating the same, of a valve forsaid compression- ICC chamber, a valve for said motor, a variablecut-off governor and valve-gear operated thereby for operating both saidvalves, comprising adjustable means connecting said valves,and automaticfluid-pressure'actuated means for varying the connection between thevalves to make the cut-off of the motorvalve earlier or later withrespect to that of the compression-chamber valve, according as the loadon the compressor decreases or increases, respectively.

11. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber, meansfor compressing fluid therein, and a motor for operating the same, of avalve for said compressionchamber, a valve for said motor, a variablecut-off governor and valve gear operated thereby for operating both saidvalves, comprising an adjustable connection between the valves, andautomatic means for varying such connection to temporarily increase ordecrease the speed of the motor, according as the output of thecompressor is to be decreased or increased, respectively.

12. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber, meansfor compressing fluid therein, and a motor for driving the same, ofadmission-valves for the compres sion-chamber and motor, a variablecut-elf governor and valve-gear operated thereby for variably operatingboth said valves, said valve-gear comprising a rocker-arm for operatingeach valve and an adjustable connection between said arms adapted topermit one to be advanced or moved backward in angular position withrespect to the other.

13. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber, meansfor compressing fluid therein, and a motor for driving the same, ofadmission-valves for the compression-chamber and motor, a variablecut-oif governor and valve-gear operated thereby for variably operatingboth said valves, said valve-gear comprising a rocker-arm for operatingeach valve and a pressure-cylinder having a piston to which one of saidarms is pivoted, and means for adjusting the position of said pistonwithin said cylinder.

14. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber, meansfor compressing fluid therein, and a motor for driving the same, ofadmission-valves for the compression-chamber and motor, a variablecut-oft governor and valve-gear operated thereby for variably operatingboth said valves, said valve-gear comprising a rocker-arm for operatingeach valve, a pressure-cylinder having a piston to which one of saidarms is pivoted, said cylinder being connected to the discharge of saidcompression-chamber, a liquidcontaining chamber interposed between thesaid discharge and the cylinder, and means for opposing fiuid'pressureon said piston.

15. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber, meansfor compressing fluid therein, and a motor therefor, of anadmission-valve for said compression-chamber, a governor and variablecut-off valvegear operated thereby for operating said valve, arranged toopen said valve for a greater or less portion of the ad mission-strokeaccording to the adjustment of the governor, and means for varying thespeed at which said governor is driven.

16. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber, meansfor compressing fluid therein, and a motor therefor, of anadmission-valve for said compression-chamber, means controlling thepower of the motor, a governor and variable cut-off valvegear operatedthereby for operating said valve and said motor-controlling means,arranged to open said valve for a greater or less portion of theadmission-stroke, and to operate said motorcontrolling means to regulatethe power of the motor, according to the adjustment of the governor, andmeans for varying the adjustment of said motor-controlling means withrespect to the governor.

17. In a compressor, the combination with a cylinder, and a pistontherein, one end of the cylinder constituting a motor-cylinder, theother end constituting a compressionchamber, of admission-valves forsaid motorcylinder and compression-chamber, variable cut-off valve-gearfor operating said valves, comprising means for varying therelativeduration of the admission period of one valve with respect tothat of the other valve, and a governor for operating said valve-gear.

18. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber, meansfor com pressing fluid therein, a motor, a crank-shaft, and a flywheelgovernor thereon, of admissionvalves for said compression-chamber andmotor, and valvegear for operating the same controlled by said governorand comprising means for varying the power of the motor with variationin load on the compressor, without material permanent variation in thespeed of the compressor.

19. In a compressor, the combination with a compression-chamber, meansfor compressing fluid therein, a motor, a crank-shaft, and a shiftingeccentric thereon, of admissionvalves for said compression-chamber andmotor, and valve-gear for operating the same controlled by saideccentric and comprising means for varying the power of the mot-or withvariation in load on the compressor, Without material permanentvariation in the speed of the compressor.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANCIS M. RITES. Witnesses:

HARRY M. MARBLE, C. F. (JARRINGTON.

